It is known to use screw-type devices and associated drivers for bone fracture repair. These screw-type devices may be used in combination with clamps to achieve bone fracture fixation. As one example of same, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,265 issued Mar. 12, 1996 discloses a bone screw and a driver for driving the screw into a fracture site. The bone screw has a threaded shank having proximal and distal externally threaded shank portions and an internally threaded head sleeve portion which receives the threaded rod of the driver. The driver has a handle and an inner rod connected to the handle. The rod fits within the head sleeve and mates with a cutout in the proximal end of the threaded shank portion. After the screw is placed in a fractured bone, the length of the screw can be adjusted longitudinally to compress the fracture.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,717, issued May 27, 1941, for a surgical device shows a cannulated bone screw having a threaded end, a square shaft portion, a round shaft portion and a screw portion. A clamp formed with a head and skirt has a bore allowing it to be mounted on the threaded end. A nut is threadedly mounted on the threaded end of the bone screw. When the bone screw is used in fracture repair, the fracture site is drilled to form a bore and the screw portion of the bone screw is screwed into the bone bore using wrench members specially adapted to drive the bone screw. When the bone screw is firmly anchored in the bone, the guide wire previously inserted is withdrawn, the clamp is applied to the threaded end of the bone screw, and the nut is caused to engage the threaded end. Tightening the nut moves the clamp towards the screw portion to fix the fracture.
An example of a similar screw type device, the length of which can be adjusted to compress a fracture site can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,121,193, issued Dec. 21, 1932. U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,601, issued Aug. 22, 1989, is also directed toward a adjustable length screw in the form of a sectioned bone screw which is cannulated and threaded on its outer surface. The bone sections are held together by a spindle received in the cannula and soldered to a section.
Screw-type devices which are used in combination with external clamping means to achieve bone fracture reduction and fixation are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,633, issued Nov. 25, 1997, shows a fracture fixation device which combines the functions of external fixation pins and external fixation or “lag-type” screws in a single unit. The fracture fixation device includes cannulated screw means for screwing into a first bone fragment over a guide pin and engagement means in the form of a collar mounted on a rod for engaging a second bone fragment. The screw means and engagement means coact to compress first and second bone fragments. Attachment means preferably integral with the screw means has an outer end for attachment to an external fixator system which includes an elongated external fixator rod and at least a pair of external fixator connectors attached to the rod at spaced locations.
Further examples of external fixation devices and clamps can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,060, issued Jan. 13, 1931, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,012, issued Nov. 23, 1982.
A screw and driver for securing a bone block is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,819, issued Jun. 13, 1995. The screw and driver are both rotationally and axially releaseably coupled so the screw can be inserted in a downwardly facing hole. The screw is preferably threaded along its entire exterior surface length and has a blind bore which opens on the proximal end of the screw. A driver with an elongated shaft is inserted into a counterbore portion of the axial blind bore of the screw so that the front portion will compress radially. When the front portion is fully inserted, it snugly engages the wall of the bore with a minor spring biased interference so that the driver is releaseably coupled to the screw. The driver also includes an elongate intermediate portion having a hexagonal cross-section and the counterbore of the screw is provided with a complimentary hexagonal cross-sectional configuration so that rotation of the intermediate portion causes rotation of the screw. In one embodiment of the screw and driver, a throughgoing axially aligned bore is provided in both the screw and the driver to accommodate a K-wire allowing the screw to slide freely along the wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,651, issued Jul. 11, 1995, shows a cross pin and set screw femoral and tibial fixation apparatus and method for mounting a ligament graft. The patent is directed towards an arthroscopic surgical procedure for replacement of a cruciate ligament in a knee and requires fixation of the ends of a ligament in a prepared tunnel. Transverse holes are drilled in the femoral tunnel during the procedure preferably using a drill guide. The apparatus includes a drill guide for drilling the transverse hole or holes which is arranged to be releasable from a first twist drill so that the first twist drill is left in place to be used for guiding further drilling and for passage of a fastener device. A K-wire or the first twist drill that has been left in place is then used for guiding a second twist drill for enlarging the transverse hole and for guiding a cannulated screw fastener device in the femoral bone end of a ligament graft that has been fitted in to the femoral tunnel section. A set screw is mounted on a forward end of a turning tool and the turning tool and set screw are cannulated to receive a K-wire. A coupling end of the turning tool is seated in a rear end recess in the set screw to mount the screw on the turning tool so that the turning tool and set screw are rotatably coupled but not axially coupled.
A cannulated bone screw is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,270, issued Aug. 21, 1990. The bone screw has an axial cannula suitable for use with a guide pin for positioning the screw in a bore. The screw is provided with an exterior screw thread having a normal helical winding for screwing insertion of the screw into a bone material. The external threading extends the length of the screw to facilitate the complete insertion of the same in the bone.
A cannulated screw and driver used in bone marrow harvesting and bone biopsy systems is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,267, issued Oct. 10, 1995. The cannulated screw has a torque receiving head and threaded shaft exterior with one embodiment including inner threads which terminate a hexagonal shaped interior portion. The head is provided with a hexagonal shaped interior portion to permit engagement with a driving tool. The screw includes a structure on one end permitting attachment of a fitting for applying negative pressure to facilitate marrow harvesting. The embodiment includes inner threads on a first end, or in the alternative, pressure fittings or twist lock fittings may be provided. The threads or other structures must provide sufficient seal to permit the negative pressure required for harvesting.
An examination of the prior art indicates the need for a fracture reduction bone screw that provides an attachment site for insertion of wires to act as a fixation point which can be manually manipulated to effect fracture reduction and provide structural support for devices to effect bone fracture fixation.
The use of threaded screw having a suture hole or thread fastening hold therein is know in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,004 issued Dec. 15, 1998 is directed toward an surgical anchor useful in the repair or replacement of ligaments and/or tendons to associated human bone structure and include a threaded insert which screws into a threaded bore formed in the anchor. The insert has a head which defines opposed apertures.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,835 issued Dec. 17, 1996 discloses a two-part device for suturing soft tissue to bone employs a bone anchor which is installed in the bone and a suture anchor which is coupled to the soft tissue and then engaged with the bone anchor. A side by side suture holder can be used as is seen in FIGS. 2, 12 and 15. The engagement of the suture anchor with the bone anchor is readily reversible so as to permit adjustments in the placement of the sutures.
In addition to the aforenoted patents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,394 issued Jan. 13, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,7661 issued Feb. 24, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,011 issued Oct. 20, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,573 issued Apr. 4, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,214,031 issued Apr. 10, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,677 issued Jul. 24, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,067 issued Jul. 23, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,684 issued Dec. 3, 2002 disclose threaded fasteners having throughgoing apertures formed therein for holding sutures and the like.